Reinforced tool handle



Jan. 7, 1958 I 1:. M. lFlNKES REINFORCED TOOL HANDLE Filed Aug. 16, 19541 INVENTOR 61902 7611441" Fawkes ATTORNEY REINL GRCED 'llfiilllh HANDLE Application August 16, 1954, Serial No. dll,ll34

3 Claims. (Ci. 29d57) This invention relates to an improved tool handle and method for producing the same, the invention being concerned particularly with handles of the type embodying elongated wood handle members having an end portion adapted for insertion in a socket provided in the metallic ferrule of a tool head.

in field and garden tools, such as forks, spades, hoes and the like the tool head is ordinarily fitted with a metallic ferrule into which is inserted the forward end portion of a wood handle. in use, such tool handles are most susceptible to breakage at the region of juncture of the handle with the outer end of the ferrule receiving the same. To reenforce this relatively weal; region of such tool handles, it has been proposed, as disclosed in the Brandenburg patent, No. 2,178,509, of October 31, 1939, to provide the ferrule-receiving end of the wood handle with a centrally disposed longitudinal slot. The latter, as heretofore produced, extends from the outer end of the ferrule-receiving end of the wood handle with a centrally disposed longitudinal slot. The latter, as heretofore produced, extends from the outer end of the ferrule-receiving portion of the handle to a substantial distance beyond an annular shoulder formed at the juncture of the ferrule-receiving end of the handle with the main body portion thereof. in this slot a pair of metallic reenforcing plates are inserted, the plates extending the full length and width of the slot and being formed with external rings adapted to be pressed into the periphery of the main body portion of the wood handle so that the entire assembly may be securely and rigidly united by the use of rivet means passing transversely therethrough. While this construction substantially strengthens such tool handles, it is relatively costly to produce and adds generally to the weight of the tool.

Therefore, the present invention has for one of its principal objects to simplify the manufacture, lighten the weight, reduce the cost, and increase the strength and efficiency of metallic reenforced tool-handle constructions.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved handle construction of this character wherein an elongated wood handle body is formed intermediately of its length with a relatively short secant-segmental slit which extends to either side of the juncture of the fer rule-receiving end of the handle with the elongated body portion thereof, the slit thus formed being preferably open to but one side of the handle along its secant edge, whereby to provide a reenforcing plate'receiving slitted handle of greater strength than prior handles in which the slits or slots therein are open on three of their sides.

A further object is to provide a tool handle of this character in which the servant-segmental slit or slot therein receives and is fully occupied by a correspondingly formed metallic reenforcing plate, the latter having its secant edge disposed in substantially parallel and flush relationship with the outer surfaces of the handle body and being surrounded in part by the usual metallic fer- 2,819,112 Patented Jan. 7, 1955 ice rule of a tool head in which the forward portion of the wood handle is received.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved and economical method of making a metallic reenforced tool handle which embodies but few and simple procedural steps which may be accomplished through the use of ordinary and readily available tools and production equipment.

For a further understanding of additional objects and advantages of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of a spade having a reenforced handle construction formed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar but enlarged fragmentary view of the reenforced part of the handle construction;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the secant-segmental reenforcing plate utilized in the handle construction of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, which disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shovel or spade disclosed in Fig. 1 thereof, as at 10, is, it will be understood, merely illustrative of but one of a number of handleequipped hand-wielded tools in which the features of the present invention may be incorporated. As shown, however, the shovel is provided with a blade or other type of head 11, the same being formed to include a metallic ferrule 12 having a tapered socket 13 open at the circular rear end thereof.

In connection with such a tool the present invention provides an improved handle construction. Such construction, as here disclosed, comprises an elongated, cylindrical wood handle 14. At its forward end the handle is preferably formed with an externally disposed annular shoulder 15, and beyond this shouldered region the handle may be tapered to correspond with the tapered walls of the ferrule socket 13 in which the forwardly disposed end of the handle is securely received.

One of the essential features of the present invention resides in forming the handle, on each side of the transverse plane of the shoulder 15, that is, on each side of the juncture of the ferrule-receiving end portion of the handle with the elongated body portion thereof, with a narrow longitudinally disposed slit 16 extending radially inwardly of the handle body through its longitudinal axis. This slit is preferably produced by the segmental cut of a circular saw, and is, therefore, formed to include flat, parallel, opposed wall surfaces 17, a segmental inner wall 18, which has the curvature of the periphery of the saw employed in producing the same, and an open outer side or secant which, in the portion of the slit formed in the ferrule-receiving end of the handle and inserted in the socket 13, is closed by the metallic wall of the ferrule when the handle construction is fully assembled. Preferably the slit is open only along its secant edge, but it is, of course, within the scope of the invention to extend the circular saw cut forming the slit so that the latter opens just slightly to the far side of the handle.

Adapted to substantially fully occupy the slit 16 in the handle is an arcuate metallic reenforcing plate 19. As shown, the plate comprises in this instance a thin, flat, rigid body which conforms substantially in size and shape to the handle slit, the plate including a segmental outer edge 2% and a secant edge 21, the latter being preferably disposed, when the plate is normally seated, in slightly radially inwardly spaced relation to the open outer edge of the slit 16 in the cylindrical shank or body region of the handle, and substantially flush with the outer periphery of the tapered, ferrule-receiving end portion of the handle. In this manner, that portion of the wooden handle extending outwardly from the ferrule of the tool head, and which is normally subject to drying and consequent limited shrinkage, may shrink to a limited degree without exposing radially the reenforcing plate 1?. When the plate is inserted in the slit, the ferrulereceiving end of the handle assembly may be frictionally inserted within the ferrule 12 of the tool head and, if desired, permanently united by the employment of one or more transverse rivets 22 which passes through registering openings 23 provided in the walls of the ferrule, the ferrule-receiving end portion of the handle and the metallic reenforcing plate 19.

In View of the foregoing, it will be evident that the tool handle construction provided by the present invention, through the formation and location of the segmental slit in the region or" the juncture of the ferrule-receiving end portion of the handle with the main body portion thereof, together with the reenforcing plate received therein, produces an unusually strong and efficient handle and one which is comparatively simple and economical in its design. The slit disposed intermediately of the ends of the handle, and which possesses the secant segment formation disclosed, does not weaken the handle to the extent which is done ordinarily by slitting the handle completely through the same from one end thereof. The segmental slit of the present invention may be readily produced by the employment of a circular saw which may be brought into contact with the handle stock either before or after the tapering and shouldering of the stock and prior to the assembly of the reenforcing plate therein and insertion of the finished assembly in the socket of the tool ferrule.

It will be understood that while the drawing depicts the ferrule of the tool head and the ferrule-receiving end portion of the wood handle as being tapered inwardly toward the tool head, I do not choose to be limited in the employment of this invention to a tapered ferrule or tapered ferrule-receiving end portion on the handle, as the socket of the ferrule and the ferrule-receiving end of the handle may be of any suitable configuration either straight, tapered or beveled without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. Reenforced tool handle construction comprising an elongated wooden tool handle of generally circular transverse cross section formed with an end portion for insertion within a socketed tool head and a relatively longer hand-gripping shank portion joining said end portion and arranged to extend outwardly from such tool head, said handle being formed with a longitudinally disposed slit spaced intermediate the ends of the handle and extending a limited distance on either side of the juncture of the tool head-receiving end portion of said handle with the shank portion thereof and shaped as a secant segment of a circle, said slit extendin radially inwardly from one side of said handle and passing through the longitudinal axis of said handle; and a metallic reinforcing member shaped as a secant segment of a thin flat disk positioned in said slit and having a secant edge lying ad jacent the outer periphery of said handle.

2. Reenforced tool handle construction comprising an elongated wooden tool handle of enerally circular transverse cross section formed with an end portion for inser tion within socketed tool head and a relatively longer hand-gripping shank portion forming an integral continuation of said end portion and arranged to extendoutwardly from such tool head, said handle being formed with a longitudinally disposed slit extending a limited distance on either side of the juncture of said end portion of said handle with the shank portion thereof and shaped as a secant segment of a circle, said slit extending radially inwardly from one side of said handle and passing through the longitudinal axis of said handle; and a reenforcing member shaped as a secant segment of a thin fiat disk positioned in and substantially filling said slit and having a secant edge lying substantially adjacent the outer periphery of said handle, said slit at both ends opening only to the outer periphery of the handle along its seeant edge.

3. Reinforced tool handle construction comprising: an elongated wooden body generally circular in transverse cross section and formed with a portion at one end for insertion within the socket of a tool head ferrule, said body including a relatively long shank portion extending outwardly beyond the associated ferrule; the handle body being further formed with a longitudinally disposed slit extending for a limited distance on either side of a juncture plane formed by the ferrule-receiving end portion of the handle and the outwardly extending shank portion thereof, said slit extending radially inwardly from the periphery of the handle and occupying a plane passing through the longitudinal axis of said handle the base wall of said slit having both terminals at the said periphery of the handle; a reinforcing member possessing the shape of a secant segment of a thin flat disk, said member being positioned in and conforming to the configuration of said slit, the secant edge of said member lying substantially adjacent the outer periphery of said handle; and fastening means passing transversely through aligned openings formed in one end of said reinforcing member and in the ferrule-receiving end of the handle body.

References @ited in the tile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 346,605 Perry et al. Aug. 3, 1886 1,567,575 Cunningham Dec. 29, 1925 1,755,236 Brandenburg Apr. 22, 1930 2,238,104 Finley Apr. 15, 1941 

